1 CPAG’s Benefits for Students Training, Advice, and Information Project Angela Toal Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland

2 CPAG’s Benefits for students project Aims to increase the number of low income students who are able to access FE and HE… …Through increasing the capacity of front line advice services to provide accurate, high quality and effective advice and information on benefits and tax credits for students This is done by providing training, producing factsheets, a handbook and regular ebulletin, and running an advice line for advisers

Students with disabilities May be able to claim:  Employment and support allowance  Disability living allowance (DLA)  Housing benefit  Working tax credit Rules are different for each benefit Many recent/forthcoming changes Need to understand impact on / of student funding 3

4 Benefit changes People on incapacity benefit transferring to employment and support allowance ESA test harder and many people failing and needing support to appeal DLA to be replaced by PIP Income related ESA and housing benefit being replaced by universal credit

5 CPAG’s welfare rights services for advisers / frontline staff TRAINING Benefits for disabled students course Other benefits and tax credits for students courses ADVICE LINE for advisers - phone Mon-Fri 10am –12noon or Project page

CPAG’s welfare rights services for advisers / frontline staff Benefits for Students in Scotland HANDBOOK  9th edition autumn 2011 and online version updated May 2012 FACTSHEETS including Benefits for disabled students, and Employment and support allowance and studying Quarterly EBULLETIN on benefits and tax credits for students